In times when journalism is struggling, it’s crucial to have newspapers now more than ever
Small-town newspaper nostalgia
As someone who grew up in a small prairie town, I understand the need for print news. When you grow up in a community where word of mouth is the number one source of information, you need a solid involved news source.
The newspaper in my hometown shut its doors in 2021. Although we have the local radio station and their online news page, something at least to me, has always felt missing. The radio station often outsources their news to other stations within their circuit, are not as involved due to staffing cuts, and often did not get along with the paper when it was in print.
The paper was something so staple at every coffee shop, post office, church or gas station for the entire 75 kilo-meter area it covered. It was a daily discussion piece for community members; it covered something for everyone.
As a child, it was always a huge deal when you got to be mentioned in the local paper. You grabbed copies for everyone and their dog to read your name and see your photo in black and white print. People would see you and say “Oh! I saw you in the paper” and it made you feel like a celebrity.
Digital takeover
The internet and digital age changed the way we consume news. The 24 hour news cycle provides us with content at our finger tips day-in and day-out, making print news out-of-date before it gets to the editor. However, that does not mean that we need to lose print papers. On the contrary, we need them more.
Some of the biggest newspaper names in the world have gone completely digital, and have created paid subscriptions programs for online news consumption. The New York Times, Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and the Chicago Tribune are some of the many companies printing less physical issues, since most of their audience is on digital.
Well, those are American. Okay, the Prairie Dog; local newspaper in Regina closed its doors completely this year; the Moose Jaw Times Herald closed in 2016; both the Regina Leader Post and Saskatoon Star Phoenix are printed on a reduced basis and cannot be printed locally to their cities. The only printing station left in the province is in Estevan. As well, they have had massive staffing cuts in recent years, down to maybe five reporters at most, making it nearly impossible to cover everything that needs to be covered.
Print media in smaller communities
There are very few printed newspapers left in the province and the ones that are printed are for very small communities.
Chris Ashfield is the president of the Saskatchewan Weekly Newspaper Association and also works for some of the few print-papers left in the province with Grasslands News.
Ashfield identifies the importance of print news. “When it comes to print media, especially in rural communities, it’s actually the only mechanism that is or a thing that is still available that records history. It’s a permanent record of the history of these communities. You can put stuff on Facebook, you can do anything digital, but when it comes down to it, if you want to know what happened in these communities 100 years ago, print media is the only way that you can find that out.”
The Carillon consistently demonstrates its value
Regina is not a rural community, but the University of Regina (UofR) is like a smaller community within the city. We have our own goings-on and stories to document.
The Carillon has records dating all the way back to the 1960s. Archives show pieces written about major world events that have happened in the last six decades including the 9/11 attacks, Front de libération du Québec (FLQ) Crisis in the 70s, Chile resistances, Watergate, the conflicts in Ireland, and, of course, the many changes in and around campus. We have interviewed Pink Flloyd twice and, at one point, the paper event had an “En Francais” section showcasing one to two articles only written in French!
The Carillon covers the news on the UofR campus and in the city of Regina, sometimes even touching on international topics. It is written for students by the students, covering student issues that could impact their day-to-day lives.
Following the 2025 University of Regina Students Union (URSU) scandal, the Carillon has been the go-to source for information. With local media stations having to follow other stories rather than the URSU dumpster fire, they covered the topic minimally. However, the Carillon was running one to two articles a week for months on the topic.
Over time, the delivery of the paper changed as they started to post more online articles to keep up with the changing social networks, Instagram and Tik Tok accounts, while working around the Bill C-18 prevention of news sharing and yet, we still have print copies on campus. This makes our news available to everyone!
You can put stuff on Facebook, you can do anything digital, but when it comes down to it, if you want to know what happened in these communities 100 years ago, print media is the only way that you can find that out.” -Chris Ashfield
Highlighting the local athletes
When I came to the Carillon in January of 2025, there was barely any coverage of the athletics programs here at the university or other local events. This being my bread and butter, I was so excited to share the athletics successes on campus!
In my time, I have been able to share stories of the Men’s curling team’s Italy trip, Jonathan Podbielski’s international competitions, Jade Belmore’s All Academic Canadian award, the Rams Hardy Cup repeat, the swim team, and so many other amazing athletes and programs.
Being able to see athletes’ pictures and stories being in the paper brings me so much pride for my school. As a woman in athletics, I love being able to share female-based athletic stories. I want young girls to see these stories and know they can do it too!
The Carillon also documents the successes in the Cougars and Rams programs for future students to see. This helps with recruiting and continuing the legacy that the school has built.
So to answer the question: Why do we need the Carillon? We need this paper for peer support, general information, and legacy. We do not want to lose the knowledge of what has filled these halls and buildings for the last six decades and we do not want to miss out on all that is to come. Long live the printed Carillon!
